Eco-Friendly Native Plant of the Month

JANUARY 2018 NC NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY REEDY CREEK NATURE PRESERVE

Photos by Will Stuart and Larry Mellichamp Hexastylis arifolia Heartleaf-Ginger Find the piggies! Use to Replace Ivy nice under woodland trees and If you are playing plant-hide-and- Hexastylis arifolia can be used as an shrubs such as Azaleas, Sourwood, seek with young friends, there is no attractive evergreen woodland and Mountain Laurel, providing a better plant than Heartleaf-Ginger. perennial. However, because it is layered effect that is visually The brown flowers are hidden relatively slow growing, it is best appealing. The deciduous native beneath the leaves in spring and mixed with other low woodland Wild Ginger Asarum canadense, is in a often called little piggies or little species such as Christmas Fern, Lady separate genus, but the two are often brown jugs. You will need to peek Fern, Green-and-Gold, Atamasco confused. Wild Ginger is a more under the leaves. Seeds are rarely Lily, and spring ephemerals such as vigorous spreader and Heartleaf- seen and believed to be dispersed by Bloodroot and Foam Flower. It looks Ginger is an evergreen clumper, (but ants. The glossy mottled leaves there are spreading forms). stand out from other Medicinal Uses Nestled in the leaf mulch… woodland ground covering As a woodland plant, Heartleaf-Ginger You may have wondered about the plants, and from the leafy common name, “Ginger.” mulch and shrubs found in thrives among leaf litter, providing a multitude of garden eco-benefits: According to research early most woodland gardens. • Soil holding ability on steep slopes with its American settlers noticed how Heartleaf-Ginger is a slow Native Americans used the Gingers growing and clumping plant deep spreading roots • Weed control as the evergreen leafy clumps as flavoring, and also noticed the that typically grows 6-12 mild ginger-like smell, hence the inches tall. Found in dry to spread • Spongey material to soak up rain water name. There is some evidence that moist woodlands, and these plants have also been used t y p i c a l l y a c i d s o i l s , against drought • Habitat for small fungus gnats and other medicinally. Heartleaf-Ginger can For more Eco and Bird Friendly pages visit: withstand drought once tiny animals ncwildflower.org established. ncnpssouthernpiedmont.wordpress.com ©2018 North Carolina Native Plant Society